Appearance: Nice three finger head with nice lacing and retention. Dark brown color that is pretty thick.

Smell, caramel malts are huge on the bill. I also smell some pale and a little chocolate characteristic on the malts. Wonderfully complex. Smells like cascade/amarrillo/chinook hops in the backround. Nice raisin undertones

Taste: Wonderfully complex with pale malts follwed by caramel malt sweetness balanced by a chocolate maltiness with a nice hopping to balance. Nice grape and resin taste provide a balance as well. Such balance with an awesome complexity. No doubt, this is the best stone beer that I have ever tasted. I love the oaked bastard, but this is my favorite of the collection. I hope I can keep my other sample for trade bait. It will be a bit hard.

Mouthfeeel has a nice bite from the carbonation which provides a good crispness. It also has a light creaminess. Very nice. I ususally have an issue with stone beers in the mouthfeel department, but this is splendid.

One of the easiest to drink strong ales I've had to date. I wish this was part of the stone line up for the rest of time. (1,114 characters)

A pretty decent IPA, if I do say so. A bit dark on the color, but, still, very nice. Heavier in body and flavor than the arrogant bastard and lighter in body and bitterness than the double bastard. Reminds me, somewhat, of Rocket Red. Obviously, it doesn't taste like that, but the flavor profile reminds me of it. Pretty good. Almost 9%? No wonder I got toasted off one bottle (22oz)! You wouldn't know from drinking it... (423 characters)

Holy moly, this thing pour a deeeep mahogany brown, tan head rises like a mountain, only to collapse, leaving thick sheets of lace behind beautifully in my Cordendonk tulip.

The aroma is a surprising pine citrus , thick and juicy. Moves right into the quaff, juicy pine bubblegum. Smacks with citrus and a hint of chocolate malt in the finish. This is one loaded up brew, sips like a dream while watching football and working on some cheddar and crackers. (456 characters)

taste this blindfolded than look at your glass. A heck of a double take will happen every time!

A - rich black brew with a solid dark tan headS - A nice sharp blend of citric and piney hops overlay and almost overwhelm roasted maltsT- similar to the nose with a mid glass caramel malty body adding a nice rounding effect.M - medium bodied, nicely carbonated, solid catty hop aftertaste.D - Hop heads now have a leader in the "dark" side of the color spectrum. A bit hoppy for me but a treat none the less. (510 characters)

*This is the 11th Anniversary with Chinook. I don't know why my separate entry was bunched up with the regular 11th Anniversary.*

I had this during the Stone 11th Anniversary event in Sept. I don't remember if this was on-tap or cask. And I assume the alcohol was the same. Mostly from my notes:

Very, very dark brown with a nice amount of foam and great lacing/retention.

Aroma is hoppy, pine/citrus but dark and smokey, very interesting. Some ash but not in a bad way, it works well.

Taste is very weird, different but tasty (I know, very vague). Big malt profile but hoppy as well. Some caramel and herb qualities. I remember this one being much like a tea bag, very herbal and "green", bold and daring. You could definitely taste the fresh hops. A bit of bitterness, just like the regular 11th.

Drinkability was very good. Doesn't really feel like a big heavy beer. One of the most unique beers I had in the festival and most unique beers up to this day. (963 characters)

Very dark for a strong ale, almost black with shades of brown with light. Has a nice creamy beige head.

The aroma is of piney, citrus and floral hops with an appetizing sweet character in the background. Flavors of ripe plums and caramel come out as it warms.

The taste again is strong of hops but is well complemented with a variety of dark roasted malts. The bitter hops really linger well throughout the finish. A well balanced medium body and a creamy mouthfeel make this beer quite drinkable considering it's complexity. This beer is a beautiful blend between a powerful IPA and a classic strong ale. (661 characters)

A: Pitch black. A moderate pour yields one finger of tan head. Head characterized by very tight bubbles. Looks like a stout, not a dark IPA.

S: I could smell it from a couple feet away. Amazing tropical fruit hop aroma! Dried pineapple, grapefruit, a little pine. I caught little whiffs of candied pineapple every once in a while.

T: Big bitter foretaste really bows out cordially to the sweet malt. Sweetness is just on the amazing side of cloying. Tangerine flavor is evident in the background - tastes like white fir needles. Delicious! Surprising that it tastes like a regular IPA since it is so dark.

Poured from the bomber into a 16oz snifter. Pitch black, big tan head, did I mention it was black? Smell was hops, hops, hops, some sweet hints in the backgrounds.Taste was perfect hops without the horrible bitterness of some very hoppy beers. Some sweet fruits chocolate.Mouthfeel was full bodied, easy to drink, just the right amount of carbonation. Drinkablity surpised me, it took me about an hour to finish the bomber put I could drink more.Overall a great looking beer, great hop flavor without the bitterness, decent drinkablity. (541 characters)

A Black IPA? and a fine one at that! It pours as Black as the Ace of Spades, with a nice head, that reduces to fine lacing that holds for the entire beer. The aroma is sweet hops that strike the nose. The first sip gives wonderful mouthfeel as the hops explode in your mouth. The aftertaste was great, leaving you longing for the next sip. This was an exceptionally great beer that can only be improved by year round production from now till the end of time! (458 characters)

a: almost pitch black with dark brown highlights, thick brown head that settles to 2 fingers depth and thick lacings: mix of hops and roasted malts aromas, bits of chocolatet: soft malty start and middle with hoppy backbone that becomes more dominant in the finish, strong roasted malts also in the finish with moderate alcohol warmthm: creamy body, with moderate carbonation especially on the backd: interesting mix of ipa hoppiness and stout roasted malts that packs a punch. not the best stone brew i've had but still enjoyable (534 characters)

I fell in love with Stone beer after I had their IPA. When I buy a bottle of Stone, I know i'm going to get the following: a beautiful fragrance, a pleasant taste that lingers until the last droplet of beer goes down and a happy buzz.

I was more than excited to try this after my friend (Sloejams) told me about this.

Head: average head.

Aroma: very floral.

Appearance: very dark. looks thick.

Taste: solid. sweet and floral. the taste really sustains.

Mouthfeel: very full in my opinion.

Drinkability: Although I love stone beer, they are very strong in alcohol content. This was no different. I can only have a 22 of this beer otherwise it would be a little too rich for the stomach.

I loved this beer so much after I tried it, I ran into Whole Foods and bought a case at $4.49 per bottle. I cleaned out the case in less than 2 weeks.

Appearance: Pours an espresso brown color with a rocky beige head that is huge and retains very well while really lacing the pint glass

Smell: Grrrapefruit, big time, with a discernable whiff of molasses underneath

Taste: At first, there is a molasses-filled dark, bittersweet flavor but by mid-palate, the grapefruit wants to poke its head into the fold; after the swallow, their is a burst of grapefruit flavors, but the molasses holds its own to the finish (the warmer the beer gets, the more molasses appears in the flavor profile)

Mouthfeel: Medium to full-bodied, with moderate carbonation

Drinkability: As the beer warms, it just gets better and better; a hopheads delight with a molasses twist (705 characters)

Solid black color with a giant three fingers of sticky rocky beige head that last the duration. Big hoppy grapefruit and pine with an outstanding malt character of dark caramel, nutty malt and wafts of roasted coffee. Layers of malt character is evident; caramel, deep roasted grains, pumpernickel bread, and sour grains going into the finish, and roasted espresso. Beautifully balanced hops; mild pepper spice, pine, fresh raw hop oil, and a touch of mint starting towards the end. Fruity tartness mixed in for extra complexity. Sweetness from brown sugar and burnt sugars with hints of dark chocolate. Mouthfeel is full, smooth, and a thick creamy carbonation. Spicy, minty, some pine, charred malt, and espresso all in the finish. This beer is just wonderful, Ive got to find more! (786 characters)

Appearance: Very deep dark black colored that is completely opaque. It has the appearance of a really dark porter almost with a 1/2-3/4 in. thick head that is offwhite and creamy. Lacing instantly sticks to the glass, doesn't look like an IPA... at all.

Smell: Incredibly strong aroma first of hop oils and fresh hop leaves. That gives way to an incredibly juicy aroma of peaches, mangoes and juicy fruit bubble gum. Strong aromas of rose water and toffee.

Taste: Upfront there is a quick almost overbearing sweetness that is very fruity and juicy, but this sensation is very, very quickly smashed to pieces by intense bitter hops that tingle around the outside of the mouth. There are multiple layers of flavor that includes toffee and toasted malt upfront with a bit of stone fruit that fades into a very dark malt almost stout like flavor. It then finishes with HOPS that just assault your palatte.

Mouthfeel: Medium-Medium high bodied and very creamy for a IIPA. Low carbonation, this beer is all about the richness.

Overall: WOW!! Stone really innovates with this one and messes with your head. Looks like a porter and tastes like a whack in the face IIPA. Enjoy this beer while it's still around. Ill be said to see it go (1,302 characters)

Recieved from the excellent trader known as errantnight. Thanks for looking out Derek. A black IPA? This should be interesting. Stone's 11th Anniversary pours black with some faint garnet highlights along the bottom and up the sides of the glass. A two finger beige head formed on the pour that does not disappear. This head sticks around throughout the glass and leaves big sticky patches as the beer disappears. Really good looking brew.

The nose starts, continues, and ends in hoppy goodness. There's not a whole lot of malt coming through but what does comes in the form of sweet caramel. There's also hints of caramalized-to-slightly-scorched sugar in there. Who cares about the malt right? The hops are where it's at with this beer. Brown sugar coated grapefruit pushes through quickly and leads throughout. My mouth waters as I smell this beer.

This beer tastes just like brown sugar coated grapefruit from the second it hits the tongue till the swallow. That sweet caramel and lightly scorched sugar trys to work through the grapefruit but falls far short. As a matter of fact this beer tastes identical to the way it smells. This beer will do a number on the tongue. You will be numb by the end of a bomber...After this beer gets closer to maybe 55 a mild bittersweet chocolate character comes through that adds a nice depth.

Medium body with a light creamy mouthfeel. I can't believe the weight (or lack there of) of a beer with this high an abv. Good lingering bitterness on the swallow sticks around until the next sip.

This beer is going down far to easy and far to quickly. Amazingly easy to drink for a high abv like this beer has. I would only drink one bomber at a time for the simple fact that your tongue takes a beating and I'd feel like I wouldn't getthe most out of the second bomber.

Another great beer from Stone. I don't think these guys do anything wrong. A black IPA is a cool concept that I hope to see again in the future. Keep it up over there at Stone. I have yet to not be crazy about any of your brews. (2,069 characters)

Looks like root beer, smells like hops. Nice fluffy tan colored head that sticks around for a good while. Good lacing. Aroma is mosty piney and sappy with nuances of caramel and suggestive chocolate. Some leafy suggestions as well. Very hoppy with bitterness throughout, yet some malty sweetness comes through, too. Pretty balanced and drinkable. The roasted malts make for an interesting twist on what would be, typically, an imperial IPA. Kind of feels like an "imperial stock ale". I like it, it reminds me of of an ale I brewed 10 years ago, except the Simcoe hop was not around then and Cascades were used and I, accidentally, used a bit too much chocolate malt in the grain bill. Anyhow, Stone's 11th is an agreeable ale worth checking out. (746 characters)